FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY OWERRI

CLASSICAL MUSIC AND ITS USEFULLNESS

BY

NWANKWOR IFENNA VICTOR

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 Dedication

This is dedicated to all classical musicians, which are the source of illumination in the
musical world

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 ABSTRACT
This paper was written to expose the seemingly hidden or despised genre of music,
which is classical music.
Due to that fact a lot of people might have not heard about classical music nor have the
mindset to appreciate the wonders of this genre, its properties seems too small compared
to other genres.
It's more like a quick enlightening or briefing on classical music, its types, and the way it
affects our everyday life.

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 Table of contents

Title…………………………………………………………………………………..…………….i

Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………………………...ii

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………...iii

Table Of Contents……………………………………………………………………………..….iv

Introductions…………………………...………………………………………………………….1

 What Is Music……………...………………………………...……………………………1

 What Is Classical Music……………………...……………………………………………1

 Different Periods In Classical Music…..………………………………………………….1

 Instruments Used In Creating Classical Music……………………………………………3

What Makes Classical Music Different From Other Genres……………………………………...4

Importance of Classical Music To The Modern World……………………………………….…..5

Effects of Classical Music In Health……………………………………………………………...6

Conclusions………………………………………………………………………………………..7

References…………………………………………………………………………………………8

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 INTRODUCTION

What is music?

Music is an art of sound arrangement in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant
forms of elements of freedom, melody, timbre and harmony etc.

What Is Classical Music

Classical music is art music produced or rooted in the traditions of Western culture greatly
considered to have begun in Europe after the Fall of the Western Roman empire in the late 5th
century. It lasted approximately from 1750 to 1813 where forms such as the symphony, concerto
and sonatas were standardized.

Different Periods In Classical Music

Classical music have been in existence since the 5th century under the European empire,
likewise it has gone through many changes over the time it has existed

Musicologists divide classical music into errors and stylish subgenres they divided it into seven
periods, but i will highlight five of them.

 The Medieval Periods (1150 to 1407)

Music have existed since the dawn of human civilization but most music historians begin
cataloguing classical music from the medieval era. It is not really regarded as an era of
classical music but most historians still had it alongside with the eras. It was known for
it's monophonic chants sometimes called Gregorian chants due to its use by the Gregorian
monks. The medieval era made use of instruments like the lute, flute, the recorder and
some string instruments.
 The Renaissance Period (1400 to 1600)
The Renaissance period introduced polyphonic music to wide audiences, particularly
through coral music which was performed during liturgical settings. The Renaissance Era
musicians made use of the viol, lyre and the guitar among other string instruments. Brass
instruments like the cornet and the sackbut emerges during theirs era. The most notable
Renaissance composers are giorvani pierluigi da Palestrina, John Dowland and Thomas
Tallis etc
 The Baroque Period (1600 to 1750)
It is at the baroque. That classical music surged forward in its complexity it's all a full
embrace of tonal music (music based on major scales and minor scales) rather than
modes. It is in this era that classical music comes into its own form, producing it form
 structures techniques we are familiar with today. Slowly, forms develop like orchestras
were created and with that, signs of the symphony begin to show forth, because concertos
where the popular type in that era. Most of the instrument used in today's orchestra will
really come on during the baroque era and they include violin, viola, cello, contrabass
(double bass) bassoon and oboe. The harpsichord was the dominant keyboard instrument
though the piano was created during this era. The baroque era foresaw famous composers
like JS Bach which is famous for his piece toccata and fugue, GF Handel-the Messiah,
Antonio Vivaldi-the four seasons etc.
 The Classical period (1750 to 1830)
Within the broad genre of classical music exists the Classical period. This era of music
marked the first time that the symphony, the instrumental concerto (which highlights
virtuoso soloists), and the sonata form were brought to wide audiences. Chamber music
for trio and string quartet was also popular during the Classical era. The signature
classical composer is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, although he was far from the only star
of the classical era. Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, and J.S. Bach's sons J.C. Bach and
C.P.E. Bach were also star composers during this period. Opera composers like Mozart
and Christoph Willibald Gluck developed the operatic form into a style that remains
recognizable today. Ludwig van Beethoven began his career during the Classical era, but
his own innovations helped usher in the next musical era
 The romantic period (1820 to 1900)
Exemplified by late-period Beethoven, the Romantic era introduced emotion and drama
to the platonic beauty of Classical period music. Early Romantic works like Beethoven's
Symphony No. 9 set a template for nearly all nineteenth-century music that followed.
Many of the composers who dominate today's symphonic repertoires composed during
the Romantic era, including Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, Felix Mendelssohn, Hector
Berlioz, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, Gustav Mahler, Peter
Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Richard Strauss etc. Opera composers like Richard Wagner,
Giuseppe Verdi, and Giacomo Puccini used Romanticism's emotional power to create
beautiful melodic lines sung in Italian and German. The Romantic era also saw the
creation of a new instrument in the woodwind family, the saxophone, which would gain
special prominence in the centuries to come.
Instruments Used For Creating Classical Music

The instruments commonly used in classical music can be classified into 3 groups: strings,
winds, and percussion.

 Strings
String instruments are played by pulling a bow along the string, or by plucking the strings
with your fingers (almost like a guitar).
The most widely used string instruments are the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The
violin has the highest pitch of the string instruments, followed by the viola, cello, and
double bass.
 Winds
Wind instruments are played by blowing into a mouthpiece.
There are 2 types of wind instruments: woodwinds and brass.
Woodwinds include the flute, piccolo, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone.
Brass instruments include the trumpet, horn, trombone, and tuba.
 Percussion
Percussion instruments produce sound by being hit with an implement.
There are 2 types of percussion: definite pitch and indefinite pitch
Definite pitch percussion instruments include the marimba, timpani, and xylophone.
Indefinite pitch percussion instruments include the bass drum, cymbals, and snare drum.
 WHAT MAKES CLASSICAL MUSIC DIFFERENT

Certain stylistic features in classical music (speaking in general terms) differentiate it from many
other genres of music, especially pop music, country or jazz. Some of these are common
knowledge; whereas, others are not.

 Classical music today gives equal consideration to instrumental music as well as vocal.
For instance, Mozart and Beethoven wrote several symphonies that featured only musical
instruments and no voice. (They also both wrote operas that did feature the voice). The
idea here is that timbres (tone quality) of different instruments are like pallets of different
colors a painter uses to paint. Thus, composers can draw upon these instruments to depict
emotions other than sadness and happiness, using instruments in addition to the voice.
 Classical music is pre-composed note for note, with very little or no opportunity for solo
improvisation, such as what we discovered in jazz. During the swing era (early jazz),
most big bands used written arrangements with very little improvisation. In classical
music it is more about the composer than the performer; whereas in modern jazz of today,
which emphasizes solo improvisation over composed music and the composer, it is the
opposite
 Wide range of emotions: Pop music basically deals with two emotions--happiness (in
love) and sadness (out of love). Any topic other than that is almost a novelty. Classical
composers, especially Beethoven, explore a much wider range of emotions (e.g., despair,
ecstasy, jubilation) expressed through the music.
 Audience etiquette: One has to sit quietly through a performance of classical music and
know when to clap. This is because classical music was traditionally supported
throughout history by the aristocratic and well-to-do classes. Hence, the music in many
ways reflects those values.
 Classical musicians generally have more formal training in music and a wider variety of
musical skills, This is because unlike other forms of music, classical music has more
discipline in regards to how it is organized, read and performed
 THE IMPORTANCE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC TO THE MODERN WORLD
In a society focused on the latest technology, dance crazes, and what is trending on social media,
it is easily understood why so many believe the art of classical music is in many ways irrelevant.
Over the centuries, classical music has transformed itself to become a building block, setting the
framework for musicians of all types today. Many studies have even shown that music especially
learning or listening to classical can have a wide variety of benefits.
Further, classical composers such as Bach, Schubert and Mozart, despite how long ago their
music was composed remains relevant because of how it played such a major factor into the
evolution of music and its genres. An example of music’s evolution due to one of these
composers was when Bach wrote the piece Prelude and Fugue Number 20 in A Minor, a
composition that combined Bach’s classical style with a more modern approach, which was later
deemed the first Jazz song
Also, the structure of almost every popular song in today’s musical era can be traced back to
Schubert’s creation of the three minute, verse-chorus based song. Schubert, though he was a
classical composer, wanted to create short melodic songs that everyone could enjoy, this lead
him after writing hundreds of pieces to perfect the design of music, we are very familiar with
today.
 EFFECTS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC IN HEALTH
Classical music has been a powerful driving force of culture for centuries, so it is not a new thing
when we say it has a positive effect in the health and wellbeing of the human psychological
system and whatnot.
It have been lauded for its ability ranging from stress relieving to intelligent improvement.
Despite its exaggeration of belief science actually shows that it does have a marked effect in the
brain in a number of possible ways
 Expression Of Emotion In Classical Music Affect The Brain
Music has been a very strong medium for emotion expression. It has the ability to “send
chills down your spine” or make your heart swell with joy.
 Classical music helps reduce pain and anxiety
researchers at duke cancer institute found out that wearing noise cancelling headphones
and playing classical music (Bach’s in exception), reduced the pain and anxiety of a
postate biopsy. The procedure causes a spike in blood pressure as the result of stress and
anxiety, but as for those that used classical music, there was no such spike.
 Classical Music Can Lower Blood Pressure
Classical music has a marked effect on the human’s stress levels and in turn the blood
pressure. A university of San Diego conducted an experiment on this. Individuals were
asked to listen to classical, jazz, or pop selections. It was seen that those who listened to
classical music had significantly lower systolic blood pressure levels. This is due to the
soothing effect of classical music to the human system
 Conclusion
After all being said and done we can see the usefulness of classical music. The whole of classical
music is like a whole untapped aspect and there are still more to uncover in it. We really need to
appreciate classical music as a whole. Ultimately, a combination of contextual, theoretical, and
practical musical knowledge will develop your appreciation. Patience is essential as it takes time
and focus to expand your musical understanding and allow your listening skills to grow.
 References

ccs.instructure.com: what makes classical music different

Dr. Justin Wildridge(2020) : How to understand and appreciate classical music,

www.cmuse,org

Dr. Justin Wildridge(2019) : How to classical music has influenced modern music,
www.cmuse,org

info@therapyinbarcelona,com : Ten Studied Effects Of Classical Music

Nathan (2014) : The Importance Of Classical Music In The Modern World,

www.minuteschool.com